Help! Is this Ick and Cloudy eye? How do I treat this?

Hello,

So yesterday I noticed some suspicious areas that looked like maybe the start of Ick, as well as a cloudy eye in my goldfish. (See photos attached)

Upon noticing yesterday, I did an immediate water change and added Tetra Lifeguard and API Melafix. Prior to that, the water levels were: .25 ppm Ammonia, 0 ppm Nitrite, and 5ppm Nitrate. And I raised the temp to about 80 degrees since I read Ick kills off at high temperatures.

It’s day two and my goldfish’s eye is more cloudy. After diving into a little more research I’m wondering if maybe I’m going about this the wrong way? How do I treat these things?

Also note: My goldfish has 4 Otocinclus buddies that also might have Ick as well.

Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated! Thank you so much in advance guys!

 

IMO it looks like a cloudy eye in the second picture, but I don't think that's ich. The cloudy eye could be caused by stress because of the ammonia. Do frequent 50% water changes to get rid of the ammonia. If the eye is still cloudy after you get rid of the ammonia you could try to treat it with aquarium salt or something. BTW I wouldn't recommend raising your temperature because it doesn't kill ich it just speeds up its life cycle and 80 degrees is too hot for goldfish and that may be causing him stress. Also how big is your tank?

 

IMO it looks like a cloudy eye in the second picture, but I don't think that's ich. The cloudy eye could be caused by stress because of the ammonia. Do frequent 50% water changes to get rid of the ammonia. If the eye is still cloudy after you get rid of the ammonia you could try to treat it with aquarium salt or something. BTW I wouldn't recommend raising your temperature because it doesn't kill ich it just speeds up its life cycle and 80 degrees is too hot for goldfish and that may be causing him stress. Also how big is your tank?

Its a 20 Gal, which, I realize is the minimum for a goldfish but I don’t have the funds or the space at the moment for a larger one right now.

Okay, should I stop with the treatments as well? And by frequent, do you mean daily?

 

Its a 20 Gal, which, I realize is the minimum for a goldfish but I don’t have the funds or the space at the moment for a larger one right now.

Okay, should I stop with the treatments as well? And by frequent, do you mean daily?

To be honest I'm not sure if Tetra Lifeguard and Melafix are useful meds, as I've never used either. I looked them up and it sounds like they'll help with the cloudy eye. Although I'm not sure if they'll have adverse effects when used together. I would stop treating altogether or at least stop treating melafix until you get your ammonia under control. By frequently I mean every day or every other day. (BTW 20 gallons is not the minimum for a comet goldfish which is what you have but that's not the biggest problem you have right now.)

 

To be honest I'm not sure if Tetra Lifeguard and Melafix are useful meds, as I've never used either. I looked them up and it sounds like they'll help with the cloudy eye. Although I'm not sure if they'll have adverse effects when used together. I would stop treating altogether or at least stop treating melafix until you get your ammonia under control. By frequently I mean every day or every other day. (BTW 20 gallons is not the minimum for a comet goldfish which is what you have but that's not the biggest problem you have right now.)

Idk, I was told 20 gal was the bare minimum. I got this goldfish from a carnival before I was a newbie aquarist and didn’t know any better. So I have to make do with what I have right now.

Okay, I’ll do daily water changes and stop the treatments to see if that helps.

 

I agree with daily or every other day WCs. That's your best bet rn. Get that water ammonia free and hopefully that will help your goldfish's eye. The mark on the caudal fin just looks like scar tissue to me (no big deal and doesn't look like ich imo)

I hate to suggest it, but once your goldfish heals, is the somewhere you can rehome him to? A pond would honestly be the best for him. Commets require a lot of water volume like 150+. It will unfortunately be very difficult for you to keep your commet in the 20g and will probably have to continue frequent WCs until you rehome him.

Also the ottos have different parameter requirements for water. They just don't make good tankmates But your ottos are perfectly suited for your tank.

I'm a bit surprised to hear you can win a fish at the carnival, but not the first time I heard it. I still don't think it should be a thing bc most ppl are not prepared to keep a fish like that.

 

I agree with daily or every other day WCs. That's your best bet rn. Get that water ammonia free and hopefully that will help your goldfish's eye. The mark on the caudal fin just looks like scar tissue to me (no big deal and doesn't look like ich imo)

I hate to suggest it, but once your goldfish heals, is the somewhere you can rehome him to? A pond would honestly be the best for him. Commets require a lot of water volume like 150+. It will unfortunately be very difficult for you to keep your commet in the 20g and will probably have to continue frequent WCs until you rehome him.

Also the ottos have different parameter requirements for water. They just don't make good tankmates But your ottos are perfectly suited for your tank.

I'm a bit surprised to hear you can win a fish at the carnival, but not the first time I heard it. I still don't think it should be a thing bc most ppl are not prepared to keep a fish like that.

I thought it was bad just let a goldfish go in a random pond. That said, I’d rather not rehome him because it has sentimental value. I’ll eventually get a larger tank for him, but right now I don’t have the funds.

Yeah, winning goldfish at carnivals is a pretty common thing around here.

 

Kkobel1, you're not alone.

I was just rehomed a goldfish somebody won at a carnival 8 years ago. I was told that I was getting a 29 gallon tank with all equipment and a goldfish. I was not prepared for the size of the goldfish. It is quite large and should not be in a 29. I seem to be out of spare 125 gallon tanks and don't have any plans to get one. So, I'm also stuck because I would feel awful having taken this fish on and then just getting rid of it. I know that someone without any emotional ties to it would say that it's doing better for the fish in the long run, but still...

 

Kkobel1, you're not alone.

I was just rehomed a goldfish somebody won at a carnival 8 years ago. I was told that I was getting a 29 gallon tank with all equipment and a goldfish. I was not prepared for the size of the goldfish. It is quite large and should not be in a 29. I seem to be out of spare 125 gallon tanks and don't have any plans to get one. So, I'm also stuck because I would feel awful having taken this fish on and then just getting rid of it. I know that someone without any emotional ties to it would say that it's doing better for the fish in the long run, but still...

My goldfish right now is only about 3-4 inches long. So I reasoned with myself that a 20 gal would be okay for a short while until I can afford something bigger. But asking for advice on forums like this has just made me feel like I’m a terrible fish keeper.

 

My goldfish right now is only about 3-4 inches long. So I reasoned with myself that a 20 gal would be okay for a short while until I can afford something bigger. But asking for advice on forums like this has just made me feel like I’m a terrible fish keeper.

Oh no! Was it my comment? I so didn't mean for it to make you feel that way

It's amazing you have ottos, I couldn't keep mine alive. And I've been keeping fish for 15 years. So sorry if I made you feel bad! Really!

Yeah not a random pond and not a natural pond. I meant rehome him to someone's backyard pond that doesn't attach to any natural bodies of water. But I see that's not what you want to do.

So, I thought comets needed larger 100+ tanks, but when I looked it up it says 50 gallons. Or even 40. So idk, but right now he is small, so maybe he is ok for now. The reason I said it would be hard to keep up the bioload with him in a 20g is because he likes to eat so much and thus poop so much. They carry a large bioload. So WCs will help to keep the biproduct toxins (nitrate) at bay.

What size of tank are you planning for him? Would you keep the ottos in the 20g?

 

My goldfish right now is only about 3-4 inches long. So I reasoned with myself that a 20 gal would be okay for a short while until I can afford something bigger. But asking for advice on forums like this has just made me feel like I’m a terrible fish keeper.

I understand.

I think most of the time, we are all giving advice out of concern and the goodness of our hearts, but to someone who just didn't know, it can be really embarrassing and you can get hurt by the advice giver being too blunt. For them, my advice is to remember that they were new to the hobby or specific fish species once too and didn't know everything about it that they now know.

For those receiving the advice, I would encourage them by saying that we often learn by mistakes and it could be very well that the advice giver had a painful mistake that they'd hate to see someone else live through. So, I'd say try to get past finding out that you had something not quite right but take the advice. In most cases, they truly mean well. I have much confidence that anything said by anyone in this thread is absolutely that.

Hang in there. I'm sure that none of the commenters in this thread meant to make you feel like a bad fishkeeper...This whole forum is full of really great people who have a huge passion for fish keeping and want to share that.

 

Yes! I've made sooooo many mistakes! I still make them! I'll be the first to admit!!!

And I really apologize if I was too blunt, it wasn't meant like that I should have asked you what plans you have for your goldfish and not assumed you just got him or you weren't attached yet. So my bad, not yours!

 

Oh no! Was it my comment? I so didn't mean for it to make you feel that way

It's amazing you have ottos, I couldn't keep mine alive. And I've been keeping fish for 15 years. So sorry if I made you feel bad! Really!

Yeah not a random pond and not a natural pond. I meant rehome him to someone's backyard pond that doesn't attach to any natural bodies of water. But I see that's not what you want to do.

So, I thought comets needed larger 100+ tanks, but when I looked it up it says 50 gallons. Or even 40. So idk, but right now he is small, so maybe he is ok for now. The reason I said it would be hard to keep up the bioload with him in a 20g is because he likes to eat so much and thus poop so much. They carry a large bioload. So WCs will help to keep the biproduct toxins (nitrate) at bay.

What size of tank are you planning for him? Would you keep the ottos in the 20g?

Oh no, it wasn’t you specifically. It’s just the fact of having to ask for advice and the feeling of being lost all the time and not getting anywhere built up. I’m great at keeping betta fish, but my goldfish has always been the problem fish baby because it seems there’s always something I’m not doing right, or should be doing a different way. But thank you, I appreciate your apology.

I was saving up for a larger tank (at the least 55 gallons), but if I can get away with a 40 gallon for now then I can probably go and get that set up within the next week or so.

 

Oh no, it wasn’t you specifically. It’s just the fact of having to ask for advice and the feeling of being lost all the time and not getting anywhere built up. I’m great at keeping betta fish, but my goldfish has always been the problem fish baby because it seems there’s always something I’m not doing right, or should be doing a different way. But thank you, I appreciate your apology.

I was saving up for a larger tank (at the least 55 gallons), but if I can get away with a 40 gallon for now then I can probably go and get that set up within the next week or so.

Awww I get it. Just have to take a step back here. Totally my bad. I do understand feeling lost and like I'm doing everything wrong. But you're not! Just given a little predicament that we need to work around. Also there is no 'right' way to things aquaria. Maybe some things that don't go so well, but there's more than one 'right' way to do it.

Well 40gs is better for him then 20g. Do you have access to a 40g right now? I think it would at least give him more time in the smaller tank. And you can keep each tank at the preferred parameters for the fish in each tank that way. Also a lot easier to keep the 20g conditions up for the ottos.

 

Awww I get it. Just have to take a step back here. Totally my bad. I do understand feeling lost and like you're doing everything wrong. But you're not! Just given a little predicament that we need to work around.

Well 40gs is better for him then 20g. Do you have access to a 40g right now? I think it would at least give him more time in the smaller tank. And you can keep each tank at the preferred parameters for the fish in each tank that way. Also a lot easier to keep the 20g conditions up for the ottos.

My LFS is currently doing a “$1 per gallon” tank special so while I don’t have the tank in my house currently, they do have them in stock that I can purchase and pick up later.

 

My LFS is currently doing a “$1 per gallon” tank special so while I don’t have the tank in my house currently, they do have them in stock that I can purchase and pick up later.

This is only my suggestion, but I think if you are buying the 40g, might be better to save up a bit more and go with the 4ft length tank rather than have to start saving all over if you need a bigger tank in the future. Just my thought! You don't need to do what I suggest!! I'm just a fellow hobbyist trying to help out.

 

This is only my suggestion, but I think if you are buying the 40g, might be better to save up a bit more and go with the 4ft length tank rather than have to start saving all over if you need a bigger tank in the future. Just my thought! You don't need to do what I suggest!! I'm just a fellow hobbyist trying to help out.

I can do that. They have the “$1 per gallon” specials often enough so I can continue to save for a larger one. I’ll just continue to do daily water changes and keep an eye on everyone in the tank.

Thank you guys so much! I really appreciate all your help, and also having to deal with inexperienced me!

 

I can do that. They have the “$1 per gallon” specials often enough so I can continue to save for a larger one. I’ll just continue to do daily water changes and keep an eye on everyone in the tank.

Thank you guys so much! I really appreciate all your help, and also having to deal with inexperienced me!

We're all inexperienced...it's just in different things. I'm sure you could teach me a lot about Bettas.